1. Field
One or more exemplary embodiments relate to an ultrasound image providing apparatus and method, and more particularly, to an ultrasound image providing apparatus which includes a user interface for setting a time gain compensation (TGC) value and an ultrasound image providing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses transmit ultrasound signals generated by transducers of a probe to an object and receive echo signals reflected from the object, thereby obtaining at least one image of an internal part of the object (e.g., soft tissue or blood flow). In particular, ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses are used for medical purposes including observation of the interior of an object, detection of foreign substances, and diagnosis of damage to the object. Such ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses provide high stability, display images in real time, and are safe due to the lack of radioactive exposure, compared to X-ray apparatuses. Therefore, ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses are widely used together with other image diagnosis apparatuses including computed tomography (CT) apparatuses, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatuses, and the like.
Generally, in an ultrasound beam which passes through tissue, the amplitude or intensity thereof is reduced depending on a propagation distance. In regard to attenuation, as a distance through which the ultrasound beam passes increases, amplitude is more reduced. The intensity of an ultrasound response signal (an echo signal) received by attenuation is not constant. That is, an ultrasound image based on the ultrasound response signal may not have uniform brightness, or the qualities of some ultrasound images may not be good. Therefore, it is required to develop a system which enables a user to easily compensate for the sensitivity of an ultrasound image.